International entrepreneurship

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Internationalization has traditionally been associated with large, established firms, as young entrepreneurial ventures often face significant risks due to limited resources. However, those that begin international operations early, known as Early Internationalizers or International New Ventures, are gaining attention, especially in innovative sectors. Despite its growing recognition, scholarly research on this topic remains limited. This work focuses on the foundation and development of International New Ventures, empirically examining a population of German high-technology firms. The first part compares International New Ventures with their domestic counterparts, Domestic New Ventures, addressing questions such as the importance of the founder's prior international experience and network contacts, as well as how liabilities of foreignness influence these factors. The second part investigates whether International New Ventures form a homogeneous group or if distinct subcategories exist, exploring the factors that contribute to these differences. Additionally, it discusses whether all International New Ventures benefit from operating in multiple foreign markets or if some may be better suited to a more focused approach to internationalization.